NYC Revelations and the Zombie Horde

My flight took off from LaGuardia Saturday morning at 11:20. As i sat next to the window feeling the plane shake from the same winds that had whipped around me as i wandered the streets of Manhattan earlier in the week, I realized I had to reinvent myself once again.

This is pretty common, that we enter and take on the life of someone we want to be - much like in a videogame, but in my particular case it had been more literal than figurative. I had spent so much time discussing social issues, diving into theoretical discussions of ethics, psychoanalysis and theology that my brain had literally forgotten where I was returning to in just a few days...

The plane rose higher and higher so that even the tremendous buildings seeped into the rest of the landscape below. Now begins the contemplation of what I have to do for the next few weeks, and months, and even years to come - of the place I am in life, and the direction that I have chosen. But i came to a realization quickly - that whatever i choose to do, i should choose to do it to the best of my abilities, and that things that do not add value to where I truly want to be in life, those should be minimized.

This means probably a little less blogging and gaming - but i will keep them in my life because i love them so much, and they provide the greatest relaxation and escape one could hope for.

THE ZOMBIE HORDE

The parade floats were inflated and strapped to the ground on 79th street near Central Park's west side. As we emerged from the Natural History Museum we entered the packed crowd of families and tourists that flowed through the streets like a river to catch a glimpse of the parade route and behemoth balloons. My friend and I struggled to sneak past groups of onlookers as we weaved through the crowd to reach the metro just a few blocks away. Finally we came to a standstill. The police had blocked off the avenue to allow traffic to pass for a few minutes. The crowd surged against the rope, but quickly came to a full stop. I could smell the body odor, and breath of those around us. Scents of food were strong of garlic and other herbs used in their former meals.

For a moment I could only think of what this would be like - if the man next to me changed into a zombie, his eyes glazing over, his face flushing white and pale purple and blue veins were all that you could see in the eyes and behind the suddenly translucent skin. His strength augmented, his mind a blank slate, and his jaw slowly opens - drool building and dribbling from his mouth.

At this moment, you know you have no chance - that as the man sinks his jaws in the nearest person, the change would compound the situation - and then screaming, panic, tremendous fear - and shots ringing out, as police grow afraid of being trampled, of losing their hold over the people. At this moment we see two things, 1, reminders of a past we don't often visit - this image of chaos is the same that we saw in the lines of rebels and renegades that threaten to topple governments and empires.

And 2, we see that there is no escape, that the fear we experience now is both powerful, yet exciting - because as a video game aficionado you are the beacon of hope - knowing the best combination of weapons and attacks to create order from the violent chaos. Moreover, you are steeled against your adversaries to the degree that you would do anything to not become one of them - so you keep that bullet for yourself in your front shirt pocket, so you can finish yourself off before the change takes you.

But then the police removed the block and allowed the crowd to move through the street again. It took nearly 30 minutes just to cross and as we reached the other curb we found the space to weave back through and out of the crowd. In the darkness shone a flood-light several feet above the crowd. After emerging we turned to watch the chaos continue, the space around us so exciting we leapt and skipped and swirled in the new freedom. True, the zombie horde didn't come that day - but who knows, maybe next year...